| Lençóis Maranhenses National Park Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses | |
 | |
Location  | |
| Area type | National Park |
|---|---|
| State | Brazil |
| Federated state | Maranhão |
| Surface | 156,584 ha |
| Foundation year | 1981 |
| [link previously not working]Institutional website | |
Lençóis Maranhenses is a park in the state of Maranhão in Northeast Brazil.
To know
To visit the park you need at least a couple of days where it is advisable to try different tours.
When to go
It is possible to visit the park from May to September, however the first and last months are quite risky. In May, the rainy season is not over yet and you can see heavy rains. On the other hand, the dunes can already be completely dried up in September. You have the best chance to experience the park in all its beauty in July and August. The temperature is warm all year round.
How to get
Getting to Lençóis Maranhenses is definitely the biggest drawback of this beautiful place: it has a totally remote location and therefore is not that easy to reach.
By plane
However, there are many organized tours, bookable at the airport or in each hotel, which will make the journey quite comfortable, even if it is not short. First of all, you have to reach São Luís, which is the capital of Maranhao, a region where Lençóis Maranhenses is also located. To get there, use of the plane is highly recommended. There are various options because several national and international airlines arrive and depart from Sao Luis Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport. From São Luís, which is worth a visit, you can simply book one of the many tours they will take you to Barreirinhas which is about 250 kilometers away and it takes 4 to 5 hours by tourist buses.
By car
Another possibility is going through Fortaleza where you can rent a car to reach Barreirinhas which is about 9 hours away. Baririnhas is the base where the tourists stop, the journey to Lençóis Maranhenses takes about an hour to do by 4WD.
How to get around
What see
What to do
Kitesurfing
Between July and December kitesurfing lovers will find ideal conditions in Atins. During these months the vast, sparsely populated beaches are beaten by a constant on-shore cross wind of 15 to 30 knots.
Beginners can practice in the large lagoon with the calm and flat sea sheltered by two natural sandbanks, while the more experienced can venture towards the open sea, where waves of 1.5 - 2.5 m could be found.
Other options include the calm waters of the Preguiças River or inland navigable lagoons of the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, the size of which depends on the rains and the time of year (the rainy season generally runs from July to October).
Atins has a small community of experienced pilots and instructors, equipment rentals, and guided adventures.
Tour & trekking
Trekking in Atins is mandatory, it is necessary to walk or ride a horse to contemplate the surrounding nature and the Park.
In the past couple of years, quad tours (quadricycles) from Barreirinhas have become more popular with Brazilian tourists who frequent the Lençóis and arrive in Luzia in Canto do Atins (famous restaurant in the middle of nowhere).
Some tourists can take advantage of one of the daily boat trips that depart from Barreirinhas, a pleasant way of transport to visit the towns of Vassouras, Mandacarù and Caburé across the Rio Preguiça.
Beach life
Atins boasts a vast front of deserted beaches that stretch for tens of kilometers in the Lençois Maranhenses Park. A true tropical beach without palm trees. Although the sand is white and fine, the beach is characterized by meanders, sand dunes and is quite windy during the dry season from July to December. On a busy day, if you take a two-hour walk on the beach, you might encounter a couple of fishermen and perhaps some tourists. There are no real shelters along the beach so it is important to take sunscreen, stay hydrated and bring other types of protection for wind, sun, etc. After the beach return to the village, enjoy a good book in your hammock is a good option. The constant light breeze makes life quite pleasant and lazy!
Shopping
Where to eat
- Amizade Bar.
- Cabana.
- Chico.
- Maresia.
- Pousada dos Lençóis Pedro and Bruno.
- Rancho do Buna.
- Tres Irmães.
- Restaurante & Lanchonete Irmão.
Where stay
- Pousada Cajueiro.
- House and Espaço da Julia.
- Maresia.
- Pousada Irmão (Atins).
- Pousada dos Lençóis Pedro and Bruno.
- Pousada da Rita.
- Rancho do Buna.
- Pousada Ciamat Camp, rua Always Virgem 13 (Olho d'Agua - Santo Amaro do Maranhao), ☎ 55 98 987084735, @[email protected]. Accommodation in wooden and straw chalets. It also serves as a restaurant.
Safety
There are no security issues, it's pretty quiet.
How to keep in touch
Around
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
Commons contains images or other files on Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
